Everyone in my family wears glasses. That is, except me. I have been blessed with great eyesight but I’m also very conscious about keeping it at that level.
Keeping my eyesight strong takes some dedication as well as being conscious about my surroundings. From using sunglasses to protect my eyes from UV rays to annual eye exams, I try to make sure I’m always on top of my game.
With that in mind, here are 6 ways to keep your eyes strong and healthy.
1) Eat your veggies
Your mom wasn’t lying – certain foods can improve your eyesight and keep your eyes in good health.
New research has shown that superfoods can protect your eyes from exposure to blue lights. Blue lights vibrate with more energy, and the vibrations have stronger impact on the eye.
Unfortunately, we’re bombarded by blue lights night and day from the sun and our non-stop addiction to digital device screens.
If you eat foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, you’re 40% less likely to get macular degeneration. So eat up!
2) Wear UV-absorbent sunglasses
This is the easiest strategy to keep your eyes healthy and it has the added bonus of looking extra chic. Sunglasses offer protection from UV rays, particularly if you’re outside for long hours.
According to scientific studies, being outside in the sunlight without sunglasses can contribute to cataracts and even growths on the eyes, including cancer.
Eek – so during the day, wear your sunglasses outside.
3) Get an annual eye exam
It’s so easy to forget to get your eyes checked. I’ll be honest – I often forget to book the checkup on schedule every year.
According to VisionExpo, only 43.8% of the US adult population gets an eye exam every year. Considering the amount of people who wear glasses, that’s a very low percentage.
A regular checkup is so important: it gives you information on any changes, damage or improvements to your eyesight. You may even be using the wrong prescription!
4) Reduce screen time
How much time of your day is spent in front of a screen? Being a developer and blogger, I would venture to say about 90% of the time I’m awake, if not more.
All screens, all the time (Source)
My eyes get tired and it becomes very apparent to me throughout the day. My vision starts getting blurry, my eyes get red, heavy and even dry.
The problem is that staring at the glaring screen slow down our blinking rate, which is the natural hydration system of the eye. No blinking = dry, tired eyes.
So what’s the solution? Give yourself non-screen time. Rest your eyes. Step away from the computer and take a short walk. Just do what you have to do to stare at something other than the screen.
5) Don’t ignore signs
It happens – we get older, we get more tired, we spend too much time out in the sun or in front of the screen, and slowly, our vision deteriorates.
Don’t neglect these changes to your eyesight. If your vision changes, get an eye exam and talk to the doctor.
Flashing lights, fuzzy vision, redness, pain or light sensitivity can all be signs that there’s a problem – and they may not go away on their own.
6) Throw away old makeup
As a frugal lady, I’ve been known to have a hard time throwing away makeup. It’s expensive and it’s tough to throw out an item that I depend on, particularly when there’s still liquid or powder in there.
But all in all, makeup can be a major cause of eye problems. Bacteria grows easily in liquid and creamy eye makeup.
Never, ever use eye makeup samples from the store and don’t share cosmetics. They are all bacteria havens.
How do you maintain a good eyesight? Share below!
